Paul McCartney / Wings Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway reissues

Paul McCartney continues his ‘Archive Collection’ reissue series in December with two early Wings albums: Wild Life from 1971 and Red Rose Speedway from 1973. Both are issued as lavish super deluxe box sets (as well as all the other usual formats) and are also collected in an expensive Wings 1971-1973 limited edition box set that features additional books and audio.

With 1970’s McCartney a solo album and the following year’s RAM credited to Paul and Linda McCartney, WildLife (an album I have always called ‘Wings Wildlife’!) was effectively the long-playing debut from Wings. It was released only seven months after RAM in December ’71. There were no singles at all from this album, although in 1972 a series of non-album 45s were released: ‘Give Ireland Back To The Irish’, ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’ and ‘Hi Hi Hi’ / ‘C-Moon’. All are included as bonus tracks (with their respective B-sides) on these new reissues.

In 1973 Paul did the same thing as 1971 – he released two albums. So Red Rose Speedway was issued in late April/early May, while Band On The Run appeared in December. Paul was a very busy boy. The album reached number one on the US charts and is best known for its one and only single ‘My Love’, a UK top ten hit just before the release of the album. As many diehard fans will know, Red Rose Speedway was originally conceived as a double, but ultimately edited down to a single album for release. The box set and a special 2LP vinyl edition reconstruct what would have been the ‘double album’ “based on original acetates and master tapes from the period”.

Wild Life super deluxe edition features 3CD+DVD 

Let’s talk more about the reissues. Both albums have been remastered at Abbey Road Studios. That’s a given. The Wild Life box set is three CDs and a DVD and includes a remarkably generous selection of audio – 25 bonus tracks including rough mixes of the album, original single edits, B-sides, home recordings and other previously unreleased material. No ‘download only’ audio here (you spoke, they listened – perhaps). CD 2 is the ‘rough mixes’ while CD 3 rounds up A-sides, B-sides, home recordings and outtakes.

The DVD features rare footage of acoustic home videos, rehearsals and more. The packaging looks consistent with the last few, so what you have is a slipcase into which slot a few books. The ‘main’ book is a 128-page tome written by David Fricke which tells the story of the album etc., but there is also a 48-page scrapbook of tour diaries (from the 1972 tour), lyrics, setlists, unpublished polaroids and the like. As with all the other super deluxe sets Wild Life comes with a download redemption card which will provide access to all audio in HD 24/96kHz unlimited high-resolution versions. So no physical hi-res.

The 2LP and 2CD editions of Wild Life are effectively CD 1 and CD 3 from the box set. So as usual you get the bonus tracks on vinyl. The 2LP vinyl edition has the records housed in a high-quality retro-style ‘tip on’ gatefold sleeve (with a 12-page 10-inch booklet) which I think is a first, and includes a download card (320kbps MP3).

McCartney was apparently adamant that the Flowers in the Dirt deluxe should contain no more than four physical discs. Well for Red Rose Speedway he’s giving you SIX discs (3CD+2DVD+blu-ray). Go figure. This is a new record for an Archive Collection box set (RAM had five discs).

Of the three CDs, the first is the remastered album, the second is the unreleased ‘double album’ edition of Red Rose Speedway and the third rounds up singles, B-sides, rough mixes and various ad-hoc tracks. Macca’s team claim 35 bonus audio selections in total, although that does include the repeated tracks that are on the original album and the double.

So why does this set have two DVDs and – for the first time in a McCartney reissue – a blu-ray? Well the first DVD is the standard fare. It includes ‘rare and previously unseen footage’ including the James Paul McCartney TV Special, interviews, music videos etc. The second DVD features the never before seen film The Bruce McMouse Show. This shelved production features concert footage from the Wings Over Europe tour of 1972 intercut with animations with a cartoon character called ‘Bruce McMouse’ who lives under the stage. The Bruce McMouse Show has been fully restored and remixed in stereo and 5.1 surround sound. This second DVD is repeated on blu-ray with 5.1 Surround DTS-HD Master Audio sound and 24bit 96kHz/PCM Stereo 24bit 96kHz (the DVD has Dolby Digital 5.1 surround too). Despite blu-ray’s enormous capacity, they haven’t included any hi-res album or bonus track audio alongside this Bruce McMouse content, which seems a little bit of a missed opportunity.

The Red Rose Speedway box set includes a “folio containing 14 replica hand drawn original character sketches by Paul and facsimile dialogue sheets for the film”, a 128-page book with rare images, the story of the album and five replica handwritten lyric sheets and photo print, and  a 64-page ‘Wings In Morocco’ photo book, all housed in a numbered outer slipcase. Again, you get a hi-res download card.

Like Wild Life the Red Rose Speedway reissue is available as a two-CD set. This is the standard album and a second CD that is a unique mix of bonus tracks from CD 2 and CD 3 in the box set. There are TWO versions of the 2LP vinyl. One is as per the two-CD (ie album and bonus tracks) but the other (pictured above) is a special recreation of said ‘double album’ version. The ‘standard’ 2LP vinyl is a ‘tip-on’ gatefold sleeve. The reconstructed double isn’t a gatefold. The two records slot into a single outer sleeve along with a 10-inch booklet. As you can see it has groovy unique cover art.

As if all this isn’t enough to get your head around, there is more!! Paul has created a limited edition Paul McCartney and Wings: 1971-1973 box set that features both album box sets as well as an exclusive Wings Over Europe 96-page photo book, facsimile 1972 tour programme and on CD a previously unreleased, newly mixed Wings Over Europe 20-track set recorded across five shows. This 11-disc set (four from Wild Life, six from Red Rose Speedway and the bonus live CD) come packaged in a special seven-colour screen printed box, inspired by the 1972 Wings Over Europe tour bus. All the audio is downloadable as 24bit 96kHz unlimited high-resolution audio versions.

All of this is released on 7 December 2018. The massive Paul McCartney and Wings: 1971-1973, as described above, will only be available direct-to-consumer via Paul’s sites and some associated channels (i.e. they won’t be on Amazon). These are now sold out!

Paul McCartney and Wings: 1971-1973
11-disc box featuring Wild Life SDE, Red Rose Speedway SDE and Wings Over Europe

US link â€¢ Canada link • UK link

Standard Box Sets

Vinyl

CD editions

Wild Life – 3CD+DVD super deluxe edition

CD1 – Remastered Album
1. Mumbo (2018 Remaster)
2. Bip Bop (2018 Remaster)
3. Love Is Strange (2018 Remaster)
4. Wild Life (2018 Remaster)
5. Some People Never Know (2018 Remaster)
6. I Am Your Singer (2018 Remaster)
7. Bip Bop Link (2018 Remaster)
8. Tomorrow (2018 Remaster)
9. Dear Friend (2018 Remaster)
10. Mumbo Link (2018 Remaster)

CD2 – Rough Mixes
1. Mumbo [Rough Mix]
2. Bip Bop [Rough Mix]
3. Love Is Strange (Version) [Rough Mix]
4. Wild Life [Rough Mix]
5. Some People Never Know [Rough Mix]
6. I Am Your Singer [Rough Mix]
7. Tomorrow [Rough Mix]
8. Dear Friend [Rough Mix]

CD3 – Bonus Audio
1. Good Rockin’ Tonight [Home Recording]
2. Bip Bop [Home Recording]
3. Hey Diddle [Home Recording]
4. She Got It Good [Home Recording]
5. I Am Your Singer [Home Recording]
6. Outtake I
7. Dear Friend [Home Recording I]
8. Dear Friend [Home Recording II]
9. Outtake II
10. Indeed I Do
11. When The Wind Is Blowing
12. The Great Cock And Seagull Race [Rough Mix]
13. Outtake III
14. Give Ireland Back To The Irish
15. Give Ireland Back To The Irish (Version)
16. Love Is Strange [Single Edit]
17. African Yeah Yeah

DVD – Bonus Video
1. Scotland, 1971
2. The Ball
3. ICA Rehearsals
4. Give Ireland Back To The Irish (Rehearsal)

Plus 24bit 96kHz unlimited high-resolution audio download of the remastered album and bonus audio

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Red Rose Speedway 3CD+2DVD+blu-ray audio super deluxe

CD1 – Remastered Album
1. Big Barn Bed (2018 Remaster)
2. My Love (2018 Remaster)
3. Get On The Right Thing (2018 Remaster)
4. One More Kiss (2018 Remaster)
5. Little Lamb Dragonfly (2018 Remaster)
6. Single Pigeon (2018 Remaster)
7. When The Night (2018 Remaster)
8. Loup (1st Indian On The Moon) (2018 Remaster)
9. Medley (2018 Remaster)
* a) Hold Me Tight
* b) Lazy Dynamite
* c) Hands Of Love
* d) Power Cut

CD2 – “Double Album”
1. Night Out
2. Get On The Right Thing
3. Country Dreamer
4. Big Barn Bed
5. My Love
6. Single Pigeon
7. When The Night
8. Seaside Woman
9. I Lie Around
10. The Mess [Live At The Hague]
11. Best Friend [Live In Antwerp]
12. Loup (1st Indian On The Moon)
13. Medley
* a) Hold Me Tight
* b) Lazy Dynamite
* c) Hands Of Love
* d) Power Cut
14. Mama’s Little Girl
15. I Would Only Smile
16. One More Kiss
17. Tragedy
18. Little Lamb Dragonfly

CD3 – Bonus Audio
1. Mary Had A Little Lamb
2. Little Woman Love
3. Hi, Hi, Hi
4. C Moon
5. Live And Let Die
6. Get On The Right Thing [Early Mix]
7. Little Lamb Dragonfly [Early Mix]
8. Little Woman Love [Early Mix]
9. 1882 [Home Recording]
10. Big Barn Bed [Rough Mix]
11. The Mess
12. Thank You Darling
13. Mary Had A Little Lamb [Rough Mix]
14. 1882 [Live In Berlin]
15. 1882
16. Jazz Street
17. Live And Let Die [Group Only, Take 10]

DVD 1 – Bonus Video
1. Music Videos
2. James Paul McCartney TV Special
3. Live And Let Die [Live in Liverpool]
4. Newcastle Interview

DVD 2 – Bonus Film
1. The Bruce McMouse Show
5.1 Surround Dolby Digital, 16bit 48kHz /PCM Stereo

Blu-Ray – The Bruce McMouse Show
5.1 Surround DTS-HD Master Audio, 24bit 96kHz/PCM Stereo 24bit 96kHz

Plus 24bit 96kHz unlimited high-resolution audio download of the remastered album and bonus audio.

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Wild Life – 2LP deluxe

Side A
1. Mumbo (2018 Remaster)
2. Bip Bop (2018 Remaster)
3. Love Is Strange (2018 Remaster)
4. Wild Life (2018 Remaster)

Side B
1. Some People Never Know (2018 Remaster)
2. I Am Your Singer (2018 Remaster)
3. Bip Bop (Link) (2018 Remaster)
4. Tomorrow (2018 Remaster)
5. Dear Friend (2018 Remaster)
6. Mumbo (Link) (2018 Remaster)

Side C
1. Good Rockin’ Tonight [Home Recording]
2. Bip Bop [Home Recording]
3. Hey Diddle [Home Recording]
4. She Got It Good [Home Recording]
5. I Am Your Singer [Home Recording]
6. Outtake I
7. Dear Friend [Home Recording I]
8. Dear Friend [Home Recording II]
9. Outtake II

Side D
1. Indeed I Do
2. When The Wind Is Blowing
3. The Great Cock And Seagull Race [Rough Mix]
4. Outtake III
5. Give Ireland Back To The Irish
6. Give Ireland Back To The Irish (Version)
7. Love Is Strange [Single Edit]
8. African Yeah Yeah

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Red Rose Speedway – 2LP deluxe

Side a
1. Big Barn Ben (2018 Remaster)
2. My Love (2018 Remaster)
3. Get On The Right Thing (2018 Remaster)
4. One More Kiss (2018 Remaster)
5. Little Lamb Dragonfly (2018 Remaster)

Side b
1. Single Pigeon (2018 Remaster)
2. When The Night (2018 Remaster)
3. Loup (2018 Remaster)
4. Medley (2018 Remaster)
*(a) Hold Me Tight
*(b) Lazy Dynamite
*(c) Hands Of Love
*(d) Power Cut

Side c
1. Mary Had A Little Lamb
2. Little Woman Love
3. Hi, Hi, Hi
4. C Moon
5. Live And Let Die
6. I Lie Around

Side d
1. Thank You Darling
2. 1882 [Live In Berlin]
3. The Mess [Live At The Hague]
4. Jazz Street
5. Live And Let Die [Group Only, Take 10]

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Red Rose Speedway – 2LP ‘Double Album’

Red Rose Speedway – “Double Album” is the originally conceived version of the album, though it was ultimately stripped back to a single vinyl. For this limited release it has been reconstructed based on original acetates and master tapes from the period. It is now available for the first time on LP. This edition is pressed onto 180gram vinyl x2 and comes housed in a single outer sleeve with a 12-page 10″ booklet plus a 320kbps MP3 download redemption card.

Side a
1. Night Out
2. Get On The Right Thing
3. Country Dreamer
4. Big Barn Bed
5. My Love

Side b
1. Single Pigeon
2. When The Night
3. Seaside Woman
4. I Lie Around
5. The Mess [Live At The Hague]

Side c
1. Best Friend [Live In Antwerp]
2. Loup (1st Indian On The Moon)
3. Medley:
* (a) Hold Me Tight
* (b) Lazy Dynamite
* (c) Hands Of Love
* (d) Power Cut

Side d
1. Mama’s Little Girl
2. I Would Only Smile
3. One More Kiss
4. Tragedy
5. Little Lamb Dragonfly

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Wild Life 2CD digi-pak edition

CD1 – Remastered Album
1. Mumbo (2018 Remaster)
2. Bip Bop (2018 Remaster)
3. Love Is Strange (2018 Remaster)
4. Wild Life (2018 Remaster)
5. Some People Never Know (2018 Remaster)
6. I Am Your Singer (2018 Remaster)
7. Bip Bop (Link) (2018 Remaster)
8. Tomorrow (2018 Remaster)
9. Dear Friend (2018 Remaster)
10. Mumbo (Link) (2018 Remaster)

CD 2 – Bonus Audio
1. Good Rockin’ Tonight [Home Recording]
2. Bip Bop [Home Recording]
3. Hey Diddle [Home Recording]
4. She Got It Good [Home Recording]
5. I Am Your Singer [Home Recording]
6. Outtake I
7. Dear Friend [Home Recording I]
8. Dear Friend [Home Recording II]
9. Outtake II
10. Indeed I Do
11. When The Wind Is Blowing
12. The Great Cock And Seagull Race [Rough Mix]
13. Outtake III
14. Give Ireland Back To The Irish
15. Give Ireland Back To The Irish (Version)
16. Love Is Strange [Single Edit]
17. African Yeah Yeah

---

Red Rose Speedway 2CD digi-pak edition

CD 1 – Remastered Album
1. Big Barn Bed (2018 Remaster)
2. My Love (2018 Remaster)
3. Get On The Right Thing (2018 Remaster)
4. One More Kiss (2018 Remaster)
5. Little Lamb Dragonfly (2018 Remaster)
6. Single Pigeon (2018 Remaster)
7. When The Night (2018 Remaster)
8. Loup (1st Indian On The Moon) (2018 Remaster)
9. Medley (2018 Remaster)
*(a) Hold Me Tight
*(b) Lazy Dynamite
*(c) Hands Of Love
*(d) Power Cut

CD 2 – Bonus Audio
1. Mary Had A Little Lamb
2. Little Woman Love
3. Hi, Hi, Hi
4. C Moon
5. The Mess [Live At The Hague]
6. Live And Let Die
7. I Lie Around
8. Night Out
9. Country Dreamer
10. Seaside Woman
11. Best Friend [Live In Antwerp]
12. Mama’s Little Girl
13. I Would Only Smile
14. Tragedy
15. Thank You Darling
16. 1882 [Live In Berlin]
17. Jazz Street
18. Live And Let Die [Group Only, Take 10]

Paul McCartney and Wings: 1971-1973

Wild Life – Limited Deluxe Edition CD/DVD Box Set
4 disc (3CD + 1DVD) numbered limited deluxe edition featuring:
– The original album, remastered at Abbey Road Studios, London
– 25 bonus audio tracks across 2 discs, featuring rough mixes of the album, original single edits, B-sides, home recordings and previously unreleased tracks
– DVD featuring acoustic home videos, rehearsals and behind-the-scenes footage
– Downloadable 24bit 96kHz unlimited high-resolution audio versions of the remastered album and bonus audio tracks
– 128-page book containing many previously unpublished images by Linda McCartney, expanded album and single artwork from the archives and the story behind the album — including expanded track-by-track information and new interviews with Paul McCartney and key album personnel, written by David Fricke
– Folio containing a 48-page scrapbook of tour diaries, lyrics and set lists, unpublished Polaroids, lyrics, notes and memorabilia from the MPL archives

Red Rose Speedway – Limited Deluxe Edition CD/DVD Box Set
6 disc (3CD, 2DVD + Blu-ray) numbered limited deluxe edition featuring:
– The original #1 album, remastered at Abbey Road Studios, London
– 35 bonus audio tracks across 2 discs, featuring a reconstruction of the originally planned “double album”, singles, B-sides, alternate mixes and unreleased tracks
– The Bruce McMouse Show â€” The never-before-seen film on DVD and high-resolution Blu-ray, fully restored and remixed in stereo and 5.1 surround sound
– DVD featuring rare and previously unseen footage including the James Paul McCartney TV Special, interviews and music videos
– Downloadable 24bit 96kHz unlimited high-resolution audio versions of the remastered album and bonus audio discs
– 128-page book containing many previously unpublished images by Linda McCartney, expanded album and single artwork from the archives and story behind the album — including new interviews with Paul McCartney, and key album personnel — and expanded track-by-track information, written by Amanda Petrusich
– 64-page photo book capturing ‘Wings In Morocco’
– Folio containing Paul McCartney’s hand-drawn original character sketches and dialogue sheets for The Bruce McMouse Show

Wings Over Europe
– Previously unreleased, newly mixed Wings Over Europe 20 track set recorded across 5 shows on 1CD
– Introduction from Paul McCartney talking about his memories of the 1972 tour
– 96-page photobook including previously unreleased images by Linda McCartney
– Replicated 1972 Wings Over Europe tour programme
– Downloadable 24bit 96kHz unlimited high-resolution audio versions

Bonus CD track listing

CD 1
1. Big Barn Bed [Live In Newcastle/1973]
2. Eat At Home [Live At The Hague/1972]
3. Smile Away [Live In Berlin/1972]
4. Bip Bop (Link) [Live At The Hague/1972]
5. Mumbo (Link) [Live In Antwerp/1972]
6. Blue Moon Of Kentucky [Live At The Hague/1972]
7. 1882 [Live In Berlin/1972]
8. I Would Only Smile [Live In Antwerp/1972]
9. Give Ireland Back To The Irish [Live In Groningen/1972]
10. The Mess [Live In Berlin/1972]
11. Best Friend [Live In Antwerp/1972]
12. Soily [Live In Berlin/1972]
13. I Am Your Singer [Live At The Hague/1972]
14. Seaside Woman [Live In Groningen/1972]
15. Wild Life [Live At The Hague/1972]
16. My Love [Live At The Hague/1972]
17. Mary Had A Little Lamb [Live At The Hague/1972]
18. Maybe I’m Amazed [Live In Groningen/1972]
19. Hi, Hi, Hi [Live At The Hague/1972]
20. Long Tall Sally [Live In Groningen/1972]

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